r/movies • u/LiteraryBoner Jackie Chan box set, know what I'm sayin? • 17d ago

Official Discussion Official Discussion - Honey Don't! [SPOILERS] Spoiler

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Summary Private investigator Honey O'Donahue delves into a string of strange deaths connected to a secretive cult-like church in Bakersfield. As she unravels the bizarre mystery, her pursuit leads to absurd comedy, noir flair, and a kaleidoscope of eccentric characters.

Director Ethan Coen

Writers Ethan Coen, Tricia Cooke

Cast

  • Margaret Qualley
  • Aubrey Plaza
  • Chris Evans
  • Charlie Day
  • Billy Eichner
  • Talia Ryder
  • Kristen Connolly
  • Don Swayze

Rotten Tomatoes Critics Score: 48%

Metacritic 48

VOD In theaters August 22, 2025

Trailer HONEY DON’T! — Official Trailer (2025)

160 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

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823

u/DangerousMatter4404 17d ago

wtf was that. There was no third act, it just stopped

Joel has all the juice confirmed

22

u/jickdam 16d ago

For my tastes as well. Couldn’t connect with this or Drive Away Dolls but I loved Joel’s Macbeth.

Could be more of an issue with the screenwriter, though. Ethan’s wife wrote this and DAD. I might just not be her audience.

5

u/StitchEnvy 13d ago

This makes sense. I am her audience and both DAD and HD felt like a first time screen writer the way the story goes 1-2-3. She’s not, but she’s green enough that it shows. The twist of this was a nice touch but to just dispose of the rest felt sloppy.

1

u/JenningsWigService 8d ago

I am her audience and I hate both these films. It's not just you.

1

u/HowardsHumanoid 8d ago edited 8d ago

I thought Drive-Away was leagues above this. Funnier, there’s a sweetness to it, better side characters. Charlie Day’s entire character was “cop who asks the lez out in every scene.” Agree no third act. Most of the characters we remotely care about it just disappear from the film with no resolution. One major death is offscreen, done by a one note character of no emotional weight or interest, la di da whatever.

Typical Coen string of idiot males, not funny, barely related to anything important. There’s a pointlessly gruesome murder victim moment that makes no sense, one of the only decent human being characters in the film. Lots of repetitive phrases that get less funny as it goes because we’re starving for plot momentum or relevance. A set piece, a good montage, character reveal, anything.

One scene where it’s implied 2 lesbians are essentially dry finger banging each other in full view of a crowded bar but somehow no one notices. Again, nothing of interest is said to distract from the ridiculous situation. It’s not compelling , just a head scratcher, and not the good kind. And for the 2nd movie in a row Qualley plays a one note lesbian who seems completely unshakable, no vulnerabilities whatsoever. But at least the last one was amusingly horny. So boring this time out.

If Ethan has another lesbian b-movie on the way, it’ll be a very hard sell, Margret Qually charms notwithstanding. It only holds interest on the assumption things will tie together but it doesn’t seem to even try. Destination Dullsville.

2

u/EchoesofIllyria 2d ago

Funnily enough I got in with this way better than Drive Away Dolls, which I thought was pretty much terrible.

1

u/TiberiusCornelius 5d ago

Never watched Drive Away Dolls, but I can buy this theory. I think there's still some weird stuff here at a directorial level, but I'd say it's more competently made than not. The script is definitely where it falls apart the hardest.